Envision SC: KSI President Linda Ketner focuses on making a difference

Mar. 14, 2013

Linda Ketner

Hometown: Faith, North Carolina Education: B.A., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; M.A., University of North Carolina, Greensboro; completed work towards her unfinished Ph.D at Duke and Emory universities Occupation: President, KSI Corporation, Philanthropist, Voice of Equality Other Notables: Leadership America graduate and has been honored with the national Salute to Citizenship Award, South Carolina Woman of Valor Award, Girl Scout Woman of Distinction Award, and the South Carolina Housing Achievement Award. Urban League Arthur J. Clement Award For Race Relations, among many others. Website: http://www.ksileadership.com/

About Phil Noble: Phil Noble lives in Charleston and is president of a global technology firm. He has launched several innovative non-profit initiatives, including Envision SC which he co-founded with College of Charleston President George Benson. phil@philnoble.com

Envision South Carolina is a statewide initiative where some of the state’s brightest innovators and thinkers share success stories and insightful perspectives aimed at motivating and engaging others to do the same. The goal of Envision South Carolina is to inspire the Palmetto State to become world class in technology, education and business, while simultaneously encouraging residents of all ages to "dream, learn, and share" ideas on www.EnvisionSC.org, with our media partners and with others around the world.

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Go to GreenvilleOnline.com/EnvisionSC to engage in the conversation and to watch the Ketner interview.

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Use the comments link below or click here to share your views on what South Carolina should do to become world class in technology, education and business.

Linda Ketner is an incredibly astute and passionate person and anyone fortunate enough to have a conversation with her will instantly realize, she is most passionate about people. As president of KSI Corporation, a firm specializing in leadership and management development. Ketner has long since established herself as a highly regarded professional with a list of clients that includes the U.S. Department of Education, General Foods, and Rotary International. But it is perhaps her staggering list of “side” ventures that truly give an insight into this remarkable woman’s focus.

She has served as president of The Community Foundation, chair of the Mayor’s Council On Homelessness and Affordable Housing, and chair of the S.C. Housing Trust Fund, among a litany of other organizations she has chaired, founded, or supported.

Linda Ketner is truly committed to social justice and improving her community and gladly accepted an invitation to lend her voice and views to Phil Noble and Envision South Carolina.

NOBLE: Are you optimistic about South Carolina?

KETNER: I’m extremely optimistic. We have an incredible resource in our people that are widely untapped.

NOBLE: What would be your plan on how South Carolina can truly become world class and globally connected?

KETNER: First, we need to stop selling ourselves to business and industry as “we’ve got a cheap labor force,” and start being and selling “we have a highly educated workforce.” The source of our economic problems, our poverty problems, our crime problems, begins with education. We’re 49th in the number of students that graduate from high school. Forty-three percent of our students graduate late. This state can’t survive economically; much less thrive, with those numbers. I think the political body doesn’t understand education as the source of the problem. They would rather give tax breaks to a company to come here, which costs us as taxpayers to fund those tax breaks, than focus on the source of the problem.

NOBLE: You don’t see them doing it? Or you don’t see the political process focusing on it?

KETNER: Both. I don’t see them even understanding the ramifications of it and the layers of it. In my business, you’re taught: don’t treat the symptoms of a problem, find the source of it. South Carolina’s political body does not seem to understand. They treat the symptoms — they treat crime; they build more jails. They treat domestic violence by having panels to discuss it. For most of these problems it is a fundamental lack of a viable education system. They’ve got to focus on this if they want to be economically competitive. We’ve got to stop talking about the New South and BE the New South.

NOBLE: You have been a leader on gender issues, which are tough anywhere but particularly here, and especially if you run for office. Talk about your thought processes and how you dealt with those pressures, and gender equality issues in the state as a whole.

KETNER: I am a social justice nut, it’s true. I had always wanted to be in politics. When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be governor so that I could make sure that African-American kids and little girls could play Little League baseball. I always wanted to be in politics but wasn’t because of my sexual orientation. That was a come-to-Jesus moment for me. I am a believer in God and I had come to terms with how much God loved me and that this was part of what he had given me, to teach me a whole lot about other people, and fairness, and justice, and kindness. I will always fight for the equality of all people on this planet and them getting a fair shake. My whole life’s purpose is at the root of that. I’m encouraging other people if you’re a woman, an African American, gay or lesbian, bisexual or transgender, to be the best self you can be.

NOBLE: What would you tell a young person who considers you a role model and seeks your advice?

KETNER: I would tell them four things. First, as I’ve talked about, get a good education. Second, leave this state for four years, minimum. Leave the region. Leave the country. I want our young people to see different ways of looking at the problems that we have. If we stay here, sometimes we get xenophobic and provincial — “this is the way we’ve always done it.” Go somewhere else, experience somewhere else. It doesn’t mean you’ll change your mind, it doesn’t mean I want you to. But I want you to critically analyze what you believe and what you think is possible. So get out of here for four years, and then come back and make a difference. The third thing is: you must become politically involved. I don’t care whether you like politics. You don’t have the option. None of us have the option of ignoring politics, so get politically involved. Citizens need to take back government in South Carolina, and in the nation. The fourth thing I would suggest to young people is, on a regular basis, to look at themselves in the mirror and ask, “Am I making a difference?”